Leisure-time physical activity reduces the risk of long-term sickness absence among older healthy female eldercare workers

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the association between leisure-time physical activity (PA) and risk of long-term sickness absence (LTSA).

DESIGN: Data on LTSA (≥3 consecutive weeks during a 1-year follow-up) were acquired from the Danish Register for Evaluation of Marginalization and linked to a questionnaire via personal identification number.

SETTING: Eldercare workers from 36 Danish municipalities.

SUBJECTS: Data were retrieved from 4605 healthy Danish female eldercare (i.e., workers assisting senior citizens with daily activities and health) aged 19 to 69 years, who answered a questionnaire on health, and work environment in 2005.

MEASURES: Calculated risk of LTSA and its association with self-reported leisure-time PA.

ANALYSIS: A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI).

RESULTS: Eldercare workers showed significantly reduced risk of LTSA when performing moderate (HR = 0.67, 95%CI 0.47-0.96), and vigorous leisure-time PA (HR = 0.45, 95%CI 0.25-0.81) (reference group: sedentary). In subgroup analyses, females over 45 years showed a risk reduction of LTSA for moderate (HR = 0.54, 95%CI 0.32-0.90), and vigorous leisure-time PA (HR = 0.43, 95%CI 0.18-0.99), whereas younger eldercare workers did not show significant risk reductions for either moderate (HR = 0.86, 95%CI 0.51-1.43) or vigorous leisure-time PA (HR = 0.50, 95%CI 0.21-1.16) in the fully adjusted model.

CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that moderate and, particularly, vigorous leisure-time PA reduced risk of LTSA in eldercare workers aged over 45 years.